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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - January 2015

On the 15th of every month, gardeners from all over the world participate in a meme called Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by an Indiana garden blogger, May Dreams Gardens. I've been participating in this meme since mid 2011, when I was told about it by a blogger in my very first blogging challenge.

GBBD, as we call it, can get just as addictive as blog challenges

But, for this gardener in zone 5b Johnson City, New York, January can be a challenge, as I scour the house looking for something that is blooming.

This is an unknown coleus I got at a farmers market this past spring. The vendor did not know its name. It is a narrow leafed coleus, that is all I know. When it grew outside, the leaves were almost like little red needles. They are slightly broader and greener in a northern window in my bedroom.

I rooted some branches (I tried to overwinter the entire plant but it died) and they now have these tiny flowers.

One of my two kalanchoes, under siege from whiteflies, is blooming. This plant has a story behind it and I will not let it go to kalanchoe heaven without a fight (although the person it was initially given to, sadly, has passed.)

My newest African violet is still blooming its heart out-I purchased it in November and it is still going.

I had potted up some amaryllis. I have three plants. One bloomed for me last year. But I was too late, and they are just now starting to grow. (Well, one is. The other two bulbs haven't sprouted but are still alive).

And, finally, a plant showing there is always a surprise in the house.

I decided to try to overwinter some of my hanging baskets. It's been a struggle, butI have some geraniums and one petunia still alive. Several days ago, I noticed a single bloom on the petunia.

The flower is on its way out, but it waited (barely) until Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I even had two Thanksgiving cactuses with blooms just a few days ago, but the blooms didn't make it to today.

Have a few minutes? Head on over to May Dreams Gardens, click on some other GBBD links, and see what is blooming in gardens (and houses) from all over the world.

Cool! I've got greenery in my home, but nothing that produces colorful flowers. Perhaps that would liven up this wintry atmosphere because everything seems so gray and boring right now. I'm going over now to check out some other blooming gardens you recommended above.

I've grown Party Time alternathera, as an annual, and have never seen it bloom. I did wonder why the flowers didn't look like any coleus flower I've ever seen. I looked at some pictures of flowering alternathera and the flowers look exactly like what I have. Jean, thank you!

Love the African violet. I never got around to potting up amaryllis this winter, but all of the amaryllises in the garden are coming up now and by spring I hope to have lots of colorful blooms there. Ah, that petunia is so sweet!

I was going to say that your coleus looks like an Alternanthera to me but Jean beat me to it. It's a wonderful plant but I would have never known that it could grow indoors without your post - congratulations on keeping it going!

I had a lot of problems rooting it - and I wondered why, because coleus roots in water so easily (at least for me). So two votes for Alernathera and I think you both are right. I will see if I can keep it going. Thanks!

I have a tendency to forget to care for my plants. If it doesn't jump up and down and ask to be watered or fed, it doesn't get watered or fed. So now I don't get any plants. Nothing lives for me. Not even those outdoor ones that never die on anyone and require nothing...well, for me, they die.

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About Me

From the housing projects of New York City to rural Arkansas to upstate New York, I've traveled a long and winding road. Learning more daily about writing, photography, and the importance of chocolate in a well-lived life.